Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud

Teacher to teacher conversations are powerful when they expose us to perspectives we would not generate on our own. Left to ourselves, we tend to revisit familiar assumptions, interpretations, and solutions. We think within the boundaries of our current mental models. Dialogue creates the opportunity for those mental models to be challenged, refined, or expanded. How do instructional coaches, teac...

Michael Hernandez, the author of, "Storytelling With Purpose: Digital Projects to Ignite Student Curiosity" and "The Uncheatable Assessment Course," shares insights on authentic learning. How can we create learning tasks and assessments that encourage and strengthen students' curiosity - supporting them in becoming engaged and inquisitive scholars and citizens. Read Michael's article, When Assignm...

"It’s time to treat curiosity as the superpower it is. We can build students’ ability to use this learning power by giving them the tools, time, and encouragement to wield it effectively." Dr. Teresa Hill, the superintendent of South Holland Schools in Illinois and the author of, "The Instructional Leaders Guide to Closing Achievement Gaps: Five Keys for Improving Student Outcomes," highlights the...

Leadership coach for educators and business leaders, Julie Schniers, shares her insights around coaching others to create opportunities for growth, self- discovery, increased confidence, and a focus to accomplish their goals. She focusses on the importance of communication, connections, and confidence. Coaching curiosity is a key. Visit Julie's website and connect here.      Subscribe to the Steve...

Keith Young, a co-author of, "The Teaching Strategy Handbook: 200+ Solutions for Common Classroom Challenges," explores the strategies from the book’s Chapter 8, "Teacher Burnout and Stress." Keith shares the practices individual teachers can implement as well as the roles that teacher leaders, instructional coaches and administrators can play in support of teachers. The impact that effective PLCs...

It’s rather clear to most people that to be an effective coach one needs an appropriate mindset for investing in the growth of others and a set of listening and verbal skills for coaching conferencing. Less often considered are the mindsets and skills needed to gain from coaching input. We might label it as one’s coachability. Robyn Vierra, the Teaching and Learning Coordinator at the American Sch...

Tania Lattanzio from Innovative Global Education examines the impact of real objects and the real environment on student learning: When real objects and real environments are the starting point: Curiosity leads the learning. Questioning feels purposeful. Wonder is protected. Understanding grows from evidence. It communicates that learning is not about receiving information, but about making sense...

Roney Nascimento, an IB Diploma Mathematics Teacher and AI solutions developer describes his response to this insight. "Teachers weren’t avoiding AI because they didn’t understand it. They were avoiding it because they didn’t trust it or trust themselves to use it responsibly. They were skeptical and wary."   Gain insights for your professional learning design both in and out of technology adoptio...

Have you heard this from school leaders? “We invested heavily in this new curricular program. Teachers were invited to give input during the decision-making process. Resources were purchased. Training was completed. Expectations were communicated. We all want greater consistency across classrooms and stronger outcomes for students. So why aren’t teachers implementing the program with fidelity?” Fi...

Sari Factor, the Vice Chair and Chief Strategy Officer at Imagine Learning, explores the intersection of curriculum, technology, and people. These questions are explored: What makes a curriculum high quality? How can technology best support the teaching and learning process? What role might AI play in extending this intersection? How should schools be considering the questions around screen time?...

As a guest on another podcast, I was asked what were my thoughts, after all my years in the coaching field, what the ideas and ideals of coaching done well would be? "Coaching done well" begins with the coachee’s thinking driving the work, and continues with the coach intentionally choosing responses that move that thinking forward. It isn’t about selecting the "right" strategy —it’s about selecti...

Rigor doesn’t mean more work, and it doesn’t mean figuring it out on your own without support. It should mean achievement at a level just outside of a student’s ability to do things unaided. Just like temporary building support structures, scaffolds for learners are designed to provide access to rigorous learning for all. We want our learners to have what they need to experience productive struggl...

Resourcefulness, resilience, and collaboration are critical mindsets, and skill sets, for students to develop. For schools to support those outcomes, educators must have the opportunity to develop the same. Mitch Weisburgh, the author of, "Mindshifting: Stop Your Brain from Sabotaging Your Happiness and Success," explores the importance and possibilities. What’s the role of wellbeing and hope in a...

What’s one of the first questions you tend to ask a teacher after you’ve broken the ice in a post-conference? Here’s one I hear very often: “How do you think that went?" I cringe a little when I hear that question. The reason is something I learned the hard way early in my coaching career.  That question can lead to teachers protecting and the moment protection enters the conversation, reflection...

Classroom observations can become overly focused on our unconscious bias toward traditional signs of quality teaching and learning. Observers can focus on teaching moves and the appearance of engagement but miss what matters most: are students making sense of the learning. Experienced educator, Dr. Michael McDowell shares the need to “flip” our view in observation to look past surface signals of t...

"When leaders consistently show up in classrooms, not to judge, but to learn and support, they help to create schools where continuous improvement is not an initiative but a way of life." (Dr. Raymond Schmidt) Dr. Schmidt describes how learning walks can build alignment among a teaching staff and administrative team. He explores elements pre, during, and post learning walk observations that build...

How does a staff’s engagement in reflection generate increased staff learning that promotes ownership and accountability for student success?  Highly experienced school leader, Dr. Matt Horvath, explores leaders work with coaching, PLCs, and professional learning for classified staff. The podcast provides insights and questions to promote your reflection. Email Matt: leadershipnexusconsulting@gmai...

Chris Norwood, the founding director of the Bay Area Tutoring Association, highlights the impact of tutors, parents, students, community members and business leaders collaborating to invest in the future. He explores the preparation of tutors and the rewards for tutors, students, and the community. Consider what can be accomplished through the development of an academic tutoring workforce, extende...

Jonathan Haidt’s, "The Happiness Hypothesis," presents a helpful metaphor for coaching: the elephant and the rider. The elephant symbolizes our emotional, intuitive self—the instinctive reactions that show up when a lesson flops, a student refuses to engage, or a new initiative feels overwhelming. The rider represents our rational, planning, problem-solving self that sets goals, analyzes progress,...

"Resistance isn’t refusal. It’s a signal of unmet needs."  Becca Silver, the founder of The Whole Educator and the designer of the Resistance Remedy, shares how to diagnosis common unmet needs. Coaches questioning and listening emerges as key to change and commitment. Visit The Whole Educator website and get in touch with Becca here. Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTune...

Mattering is the feeling that we are valued and have value to add to the world. When we build a mattering ecosystem that helps adults feel valued and significant, we’re creating the conditions for children to feel they matter. What are coaching actions that signal mattering to their coachees and help build an ecosystem of mattering. Read "Mattering in Early Childhood: Building a Strong Foundation...

By pairing an administrator with a systems-level view and access to resources with a teacher leader deep in classroom expertise and credibility, a school-based mentor program added support to teachers new to teaching or new to the school. Their partnership sent a message that mentoring isn’t something done to teachers—it’s something we do together. "The most meaningful growth happens when learning...

Paul Magnuson shares what his feedback to teachers sounds like after he quit trying to point out weaknesses and trying to show that he knew what those weaknesses are; after he quit sitting across from younger teachers telling them what to do. Hear what he can share by picturing himself standing side-by-side with teachers, staring out across an education horizon that is messy, multi-faceted and fab...

Many educators know that some of the best, most relevant professional development can happen when teachers observe other teachers instructing their students. But in many schools, there’s rarely time set aside for peer observation. Erika Kersey, the principal of Greenville Elementary School in Virginia and two teachers share how they created structured, low-stakes opportunities for teachers to lear...

I have been a long-time promoter of engaging students in real-life (project-based) opportunities. That’s driven from my own experiences as a 4-H participant in my elementary and high school years and having observed teachers and students tackling powerful learning through doing live event projects. Those experiences generated my interest to learn more when I was introduced to The Society of Childh...